Federal Judge Resentences Joe Exotic To 21 Years In Prison

A federal judge officially resentenced Joe Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, Friday morning inside an Oklahoma City courtroom.

The judge sentenced Maldonado-Passage to 252 months, or 21 years, in federal prison related to a murder-for-hire plot and animal cruelty charges.

The sentence was lowered from 22 years, which was given to Maldonado-Passage in Jan. 2020.

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated his sentence but affirmed his conviction last July. The court said it found error on counts one and two of the 19 charges Maldonado-Passage was found guilty.

Related: Federal Appeals Court Orders Joe Exotic To Be Resentenced, Upholds His Conviction

The government brought in Carole Baskin to Friday's hearing. Baskin told the judge that Maldonado-Passage is a greater threat to her now than before his conviction due to his worldwide following.

During a press conference following the sentencing, Maldonado-Passage's attorneys said they plan to appeal the sentence.

Maldonado-Passage will be sent to a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

This is a developing story.